The ultimate skydive

A typical parachute jump / skydive involves individuals exiting an aircraft (usually an airplane, but sometimes a helicopter or even the gondola of a balloon), at anywhere from 1,000 to 4,000 meters (3,000 to 13,000 feet) altitude.

At 7am on 16th August 1960, Colonel (then Captain) Joseph Kittinger stepped off from a balloon-supported gondola at an altitude of 102,800 feet. In freefall for 4.5 minutes at speeds up to 714 mph (another report said 614 mph - 90% the speed of sound) and temperatures as low as -70C, he opened his parachute at 17,500 feet.

He landed safely in the New Mexico desert 13 minutes and 45 seconds later.

More than 50 years later, his altitude world record still stands.

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Photo: US Air Force